


Note to Self- Don't be Gay in Nebraska

by TKlounge



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015), The Prom - Sklar/Beguelin/Martin
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe- The Prom, Angst, Closeted Character, Coming Out, F/F, Fluff, Homophobia, Is Kara psychic or an alien with super powers?, Sanvers - Freeform, Sawyer/Vasquez brotp, Teens having all the feelings
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-03
Updated: 2019-08-26
Packaged: 2020-06-03 15:13:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,170
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19466608
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TKlounge/pseuds/TKlounge
Summary: All Maggie Sawyer wants is to bring her girlfriend to prom. All Cat Grant wants is a juicy story for her audience. All Eliza wants is for weird alien daughter to blend in. All Alex wants is to hide. All Kara wants is to slap Superman upside the head...





	1. Changing Lives

Cat Grant sat at her desk, squinting at the dim screen of her laptop. Hours of staring at her computer had make her body ache and her eyes grow blurry. She pushed her reading glasses up her nose and continued to scroll. The deadline was screaming toward her and she wouldn’t go to bed until she had found something for her new show. Something titillating, hopefully. Something attention grabbing and relatable and progressive. “Should be easy…:” she grumbled. She was bone weary of another late night staring at a screen, hoping for a spark of an idea.

A loud ping sounded, interrupting her thoughts. Scowling, she opened her mailbox. “I don’t have time to write news for you, Perry” A perfectly manicured eyebrow raised when she saw the new mail was from an unknown .edu address. Against her better judgement (and the lectures from IT) she clicked to open it. Cat speed read the email, an eager grin spreading across her face. In one second flat, an email was sent to Perry, his assistant, the accountant team. A second inquiry was sent to the airline, another to her housekeeper. First things first was to get packed. She could sleep when she was dead. 

Cat sighed and rubbed hand sanitizer into her already clean hands, debating the pros and cons of putting some on her eyes to clean the sight of all this filthy humanity shuffling around the airport. It was barely 5 o’clock and the airport was already a teeming mob of rednecks in sweatpants. Were the rabble of middle america drawn to early morning flights? Who else besides vacationing hillbillies would leave Metropolis for podunk Lincoln, Nebraska. Just the hordes of cousin humping bumpkins and Cat Grant. She was just settling into the first class lounge with a vodka cranberry and a magazine when she spotted them.

A most unladylike groan escaped from her lips as she saw what was bumbling toward her. With a sardonic smile and a wave, Lois Lane had just utterly ruined Cat’s delusions of a pleasant trip. And of course past Lois was her shadow, that handsome farm boy from Kansas. _At least we’ll have a native_ _with us_. Cat thought to herself. _Kansas, Nebraska. Same difference. Both flyover states full of corn and soybeans and not much else._ The only one she did not recognize was the tall young black man loaded down with camera bags that trailed after them. 

“Cat, so nice to see you. What a fun trip this will be.” Lois snarked. 

“Lois, Farmboy, Kid-I-Don’t-Know.” Cat snarked back, leafing through her magazine with feigned disinterest. 

“Hi Cat,” said Clark, “This is Jimmy Olson. Perry wanted us to get pictures for the newspaper, magazine and the website as well as some on film for your show.”

Cat snorted, “And why am I sharing my find with… you three?”

“Well,” Lois theatrically sighed, “See... it was my find as well. I guess you and I must have sent the same email to Perry. So any idea who would tip us off?”

“No. Everyone I’ve brought through the process knows that if they don’t give me the exclusive there will be problems. Let's go change some lives.”

There was a tense moment as the two women eyed each other cooly. Clark shifted uncomfortably “Umm… Ladies?” Clark dared interrupting as Lois took a breath to continue, “It looks like we are boarding. Come on Jimmy, let’s get all the equipment checked.”


	2. Just Breathe

Several Months Earlier

Maggie felt as if she was about to jump out of her skin. She had chosen a study hall for her final period this semester, hoping she could use the time to get all her homework done before heading to work. But it soon became clear there was nothing more frustrating thAn sitting and staring at the clock for 45 minutes at the end of every day. And today was particularly bad. She had her trig homework in front of her but hadn’t made a single mark on the paper. Today was the day-she was going to ask Alex to go to prom. 

The clock kept ticking as the students shuffled restlessly, whispering to each other, flicking paper footballs and squirming in their seats. It seemed she wasn’t the only one impatient for the weekend. Seven more minutes and Maggie could leave, find Alex in the crush of people before she drove off with Kara and ask her. She had practiced her speech for hours last night, to the detriment of her sleep. She knew what she wanted to say and how she’d say it.

“I’ve got this” she said to herself firmly and repeated it like a manta. “I’ve got this...I’ve got this. Just breathe.”

When the bell finally rang the rest of the students jumped out of their seats and ran to the door leaving Maggie in her own thoughts. It took the study hall monitor clearing her throat and looking pointedly at the clock to get her attention. She shoved her pencil, calculator, books and papers in a tangled jumble in her bag as she speed walked down the hallway and out to the parking lot. Her eyes automatically drew themselves to Alexi in the crowd of students, looking tall and heartbreakingly lovely as she broke just broke off from her soccer friends and headed to her baby blue 1952 Chevrolet Deluxe. 

“Ok Maggie,” Maggie whispered to herself “ You got this. Remember the corsage… Prom… breathe, just breathe. She’ll say yes..”

“You know, she can only say yes if you ask, ” winked Kara. Alex’s sister grinned mischievously as she brushed passed Maggie and ran up to the car. Maggie winced. She was already nervous enough. She really liked Kara but was a little privacy too much to ask for? 

“Hey Alex, it looks like Maggie’s got something to ask you,” Kara grinned and ducked inside the car, putting on her headphones and pointedly avoiding looking out the window at them. In that moment, Maggie was convinced that psychics were real and that Kara had the gift. How had she know exactly what Maggie was thinking?

Alex’s eyes softened when turned from the door to look at Maggie. She smiled gently and laid her hand on Maggie’s shoulder. 

“Hey! How’s it going?” 

Maggie’s breath stuck in her throat and only a croak came out as her eyes darted around. 

She cleared her throat and braced herself. 

“PROM!” blurted Maggie, “I want to dance with you. At prom. And buy you a corsage and get you punch and… all of it. I know some people go all out and make posters and stuff to ask people to prom but I couldn’t wait.. I really want us to go together.” 

Alex answered immediately. “Of course I will!” She moved into Maggie, pulling her closer and kissed Maggie’s cheek.”I’d love to.”

All too quickly Alex pulled back and gave Maggie’s hand a quick squeeze.

“I’ve got to get Kara home on time or my mom will kill me though. Call me after work?”

Alex got into her car and started it, smiling to herself as she turned the keys. Kara was bouncing up and down animatedly and as they pulled out of the parking lot turned gave Maggie an enthusiastic thumbs up. 

Maggie started walking from the school parking lot with a bounce in her step, putting on her headphones and letting the music in her ears meld with the music in her heart. Her walk to work which usually felt like it took forever, seemed over in an instant. As she opened the front door of Inner Groove Records, Vasquez looked up from behind the counter, noticed she wasn’t a customer and went back to her book. They exchanged their usual nod as Maggie swaggered to the back of the store, entering a door marked employees only. She stuffed her backpack into her assigned locker and slipped on the required grey polo. She stowed her headphones with the same care as the pope stowed his hat, nestling them into her hoodie pocket and making sure to use her lock. 

Maggie couldn’t keep the goofy smile off her face as she shelved the new arrivals, even when Vasquez tried to get her to explain this new behavior. 

“I asked my girl to prom! She said yes!”

“That’s awesome Sawyer!” Vasquez grinned back at her.

“She didn’t even look around to see if anyone was watching! She didn’t even have to think about it! She just said she’d love to, just that quick! “ Maggie’s heart fluttered at the implication, “She’s going to come out! For me... “

The cold hand of self-doubt gripped Maggie’s heart as a realization hit her. “Vas… did I just force her out of the closet?”

“Nah, Sawyer. All summer all you could talk about is how she was building up her courage to come out. How much she wanted to be out and how you and her sister have been there for her through this. I mean school will suck maybe but plus side: we’d be able to go on a double date. Oh, and I mean her family is fine with it right?”

“I don’t know, her sister is awesome but whenever the subject of her mom comes up she just shuts down…”

Checking to see if there were any customers near, Vasquez rounded the counter to give Maggie a bro side hug. Maggie leaned into the comfort with a sigh. They eventually went back to work in a companionable silence as Maggie’s mind raced with thoughts of Alex, dressed up and in her arms, swaying to the music. 

When Maggie’s shift ended she waved to Vasquez who was closing up and locking the shop. She pulled on her head phones and blasted the cast recording of ‘The Prom’. Her girlfriend’s little sister got her the album soon after catching the two kissing. It was the most gentle acceptance speech, mostly because Kara didn’t say anything more than, “I just thought of you.” Her head phones were always her safe space and sanctuary when the world got too hard. With Kara’s gift, it became the feeling of acceptance.

There was no way anything could ruin this mood.

***

There is one way life could ruin her mood.

Maggie had worked extra shifts all spring, offering to cover whenever someone needed it, signing up to do inventory and extra cleaning. She saved every penny until she finally saved enough to buy two tickets. And a corsage, the corsage was important. It was the cherry on top of Maggie and Alex’s first date out. Maggie swaggered up the the PTA table that was selling the prom tickets. Of course it was the PTA’s president manning the table, Mrs. Wilkey. 

Maggie squared her shoulders and forced a smile that was all bravado. 

“Two tickets,” announced Maggie.

Hushed whispers swept through the commons. Mrs. Wilkey lifted and eyebrow. “Two tickets? Are you bringing your boyfriend?”

“No,” eyerolled Maggie, “My girlfriend.”

“Well then I will not sell you a ticket.”

“What?!? I have the money!”

“I’m not going to allow this!”

“There isn’t anything in the student handbook about who I can bring...”

“Well, the plus side of this is that I control who is able to buy tickets. This is not a dance you are going to make a mockery of. I won’t sell you the tickets and no one else will sell them to you either.”

Maggie did an about face as she saw Elisa walking up to support her mother in berating Maggie. Trying to hold her head up high, Maggie walked to her locker before letting her tears fall.

Yeah, only one thing could ruin Maggie’s good mood.


	3. A wisp of hope

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is for you one person who has this fic bookmarked. :P

After the crushing news about prom, Maggie skipped class for the rest of the week. She knew that she shouldn’t but she just couldn’t face going to school. Maggie made sure to leave her Aunt’s place at 6:15 am like she was going to school but instead would hustle over to Inner Groove records. Finding co-workers that didn’t want their shifts wasn’t hard. The hard part was convincing Megan Morse (the owner) to let her get the overtime. But Maggie didn’t have soulful eyes and charming dimples for nothing. Megan didn’t ask about her newfound availability during school hours. She seemed to understand that Maggie needed to get away and didn’t ask any more. 

Normally Maggie would put all of the overtime into her prom fund but there wasn’t a point in doing that anymore. She had no idea how she was going to break the news to Alex about the prom. They had been so excited, spending stolen moments sharing plans and color schemes of what they wanted to wear. Kara had seemed almost as excited as Alex was, asking endless questions about what prom was like, what they would wear and dance to and eat and do afterwards. Alex had said that Kara was from a very sheltered family before they adopted her, but it was like Kara had never heard of prom before and was endlessly curious about it. 

It was Sunday by the time Maggie actually answered Alex’s worried texts begging her to come back to school. She made some half assed excuse about being sick. Still Alex insisted that she try and come in Monday, reminding her that she would start missing things like the ACT/SAT practice tests. Alex was so certain and supportive about Maggie going to college to become a police officer. She couldn’t let Alex down.

Come Monday morning, Maggie decided to put on her big girl pants and face school, however terrible it might be. She packed her backpack with her half done homework and homemade lunch. She added in an extra bag of cookies to share with Kara. They shared a lunch period and ate together most days and Kara had a stomach like a black hole. Maggie felt even more guilty when she realized that Kara most likely had to eat alone the week she was gone. Maggie made a vow as she left to stop disappointing the Danvers sisters. 

The day wasn’t as awful as she feared and passed mostly without incident. She had a mountain of homework to catch up on. Several teachers hadn’t really seemed to buy her sick excuse either and seemed none too happy with her. Eliza Wilkey and her stupid friends whispered and snickered when she walked by. Maggie was sure that Mrs. Wilkey had told Eliza all about her trying to buy prom tickets and how disgusting she found it. It’s not like Eliza needed another reason to bully her after that fateful Valentines Day. 

Maggie was sitting in Western Civ, her last class before lunch when the notice came. A student knocked and entered holding the light blue hall pass that meant someone was being called to the office. “Margaret Sawyer, Principal Jonzz wants to see your” her teacher called. The class hooted and mocked as she gathered her things. “Oooooo someone’s in trouble.”

Maggie’s stomach was in knots as she walked to the principal’s office. This must mean that her faked sick note hadn’t worked and now she was going to pay the price. Once she got to his office the secretary nodded grimly towards the door and Maggie knocked. A muffled ‘come in’ sounded as she opened the door and poked her head inside. 

She had heard that Dr. Jonzz was some fancy guy the district was lucky to hire. He had a long list of credentials and awards and for some reason wanted to move here to the middle of nowhere. Maggie couldn’t remember exactly when he joined the staff but she was pretty sure he started around the same time the Danvers sisters moved to town. She wasn’t sure since she had been doing her best to keep her head down after her parents threw her out and avoid the school administration as much as possible. 

A dignified older black man sat behind a severe utilitarian desk. He motioned for Maggie to sit in one of the empty chairs in front of him. She carefully sat in the chair and unwillingly relaxed into its surprising comfort. Principal Jonzz stared at her for a moment with a weighing look before he spoke.  
“Maggie, it seems like you have been having a hard time recently.” His voice was surprisingly gentle, not at all the scolding Maggie was expecting. He stared at her as if expecting an answer, leaning forward on his elbows. She barely kept her scoff internal as she thought about all of the adults around her who ignored her struggle and couldn’t care less about her current plight. She managed a nod , staring down at her shoes. 

“I know it might seem like all the adults in this town are out to get you but that is not true. There are some teachers and others here who would be on your side if you give them a chance. I know you are living with your aunt. Is everything ok at home? Is that why you did not come to school most of last week? ”

Maggie blinked at this. First Kara and now Principal Jonzz? How are people reading her mind? Kara might be able to read her well, but they were friends. She had almost zero contact with Principal Jonzz.. There’s no way he know her tells. Maggie prided herself on her excellent poker face. He must have been talking to some busybody parent, gossiping about her parents throwing her out. 

“I spoke with Mrs. Wilkey and she told me she refused to sell you prom tickets last week. I know that the PTA usually handles the running of the prom. But I don’t think they are able to refuse tickets to a student on those grounds. There’s a PTA meeting next week. I’ll investigate further what our options are, but I’d like you to come to the meeting and speak to them.”

Maggie shifted uncomfortably in her chair. “Yeah...do I have to? They’re not going to listen to me.” Why would anything she had to say matter? 

“We won’t know unless you try. “ Principl Jonzz said kindly. “I’ll make some calls, just say you’ll be there.” A knock at his door signaled the end of their meeting and Maggie rose to leave. 

“Am I going to get detention for missing last week?”

“Do you want detention?”

“No?”

Principal Jonzz stood up to open the door for her. “Don’t miss anymore class. I want you to be able to attend college like you’re planning. We will work on this prom situation. Don’t allow this obstacle to throw your future off course.” 

Maggie left the office utterly confused. Instead of getting chewed out, she had a potential ally and a little wisp of hope that she and Alex could go to prom after all. Now all she had to do was face a room full of angry bigoted parents that hated her. No problem.


End file.
